Two Noras: February 1, 1914 and February 1, 2021

 Nora Bauer: Sunday, February 1, 1914

Was a little colder today. Was to 7:30 and 10:00 o'clock Mass and also to Vespers. Went up to Fettig's and we played 500. Mamie [sister], Marina [?] Paul [Spitznogle] and I played euchre. 

Nora Spitznogle: Monday, February 1, 2021

Cold today - I wish I'd given myself more time to warm up the car. I rushed home from work to start addressing my Saint Valentine's Days cards that were delivered today. 

I can't believe that Grandma Nora went to two Masses and Vespers again this Sunday. Pretty sure she went straight to heaven. I'm not familiar with 500, but it seems to be a cross between Euchre and Bridge. I think that Florence, who Nora has mentioned before, is a Fettig. Mamie is Nora's older sister and Paul would become her husband in five years. 

I joke that I learned my numbers by playing Euchre, and I don't think that's far from the truth. It is definitely the official game of the Spitznogle family. 

I've hosted a Saint Valentine's Day party for at least 35 years. Last year there were at least 100 guests over the course of the night. My house was wall-to-wall people. The thought of it makes me shudder now that we're in the midst of the pandemic. Since I won't be hosting a party this year I decided to spring for some fancy custom cards, especially since I don't have tales of travels or anything exciting for my typical annual letter. 

I got the notice that the cards were delivered and I was happy to see the box on my porch. I couldn't believe it when I scanned the card - I'd made a grammatical error. I knew that it would drive me crazy to send them so I fixed the error and reordered the cards. My sister, Ann, had given me a 50% off coupon that I was able to use again. That lessened the blow - now it's like I'd paid full price. I took advantage of having the envelopes and started addressing and putting the stamps on. Sheesh! 

Two Noras: January 31, 1914 and January 31, 2021

Nora Bauer: Saturday, January 31, 1914

We had quite a bit of snow today. Got a letter from Lena. She sent me a Christmas cactus. Was to church tonight and met Dora & Gertrude going home. 

Nora Spitznogle: Sunday, January 31, 2021

I was an EME at 10:30 Mass. Schaun and Adrian helped me move shelves to the garage and I treated them to lunch. We visited their sister and toured condos. 

I'm a logistics person at heart - a Christmas cactus delivered by mail in January in the middle of a snow storm? I'm not sure who Lena is - Grandma Nora mentioned a Lena on January 1, which lead me to believe that she was local, although you can send letters to someone in your own town. 

What is confounding me is that she noted receiving a letter from Helen Rosfeld on that day. In my family tree research I found that she had an Aunt Helena Rosfeld (Nora's mom's sister). Lena could easily be a nickname for Helena, but I have doubts that she's speaking of her 49 year-old aunt. Grandma Nora has referred to her uncles as "uncle," so I don't think that she would drop the aunt honorific. Most likely is that Lena is a cousin, possibly the daughter of Aunt Helena, who was called Lena to not confuse her with her mother, Helena. I haven't had time to dive into Great-Grandaunt Helena's tree. I'm adding it my to-do list. 

I also went to Mass today. Because of the pandemic the number of people that can attend Mass is limited and half of pews are off-limits to accommodate distancing. You have to sign up each week to make sure that there aren't too many people, but it's not an exact science. I take up a whole pew by myself, while a family could sit in the same space. I always try to grab one of the shorter pews on the sides. The last couple of weeks, I've stood in the back, which I'm happy to do. It actually suits my can't-sit-still fidgeting comfortably. 

It's weird to not be able to socialize afterwards with folks. As an EME (Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist) part of my duties would typically include gently washing the vessels and choosing the purificators. I love being in the Sacristy getting everything ready for the next Mass. It's a nice time to have a quick chat with other volunteers and to say hello to Father Guy. 

Since I've been mentally chiding Grandma Nora for not adding details, I should give you some background on Schaun. He and I dated for a handful of years and broke up 2.5 years ago. We have managed to remain friends and help each other with projects. I help him file the sales taxes for his business and with some correspondence and he helps me with minor car repairs and lends his muscle for moving things. 

The impetus for my reorganization project is lessening the amount of furniture in my 750 square-foot house. I have a huge thing that used to be a display piece at a local department store. It holds a ton of things, but I've started to feel like it looked too much like I was opening a gift shop. Schaun and his brother moved the top part to the garage and I'm keeping the bottom - shelves with doors to use as a buffet/breakfront/sideboard. The room looks bigger already and it frees up a lot of wall space for the art that's been stacked in a corner. 

I took the guys to lunch at Half Liter, just down the street from my house. Adrian suggested that we join him for a visit to his sister, Brenda's home. I adore Brenda and jumped at the chance. Beyond a brief visit when she popped in to Marigold when I was working, I hadn't seen her since August. It was wonderful to catch up with her and Gary. 

Brenda as made so many friends - and has convinced other friends to move to Lions Head, that we were about to socially distance tour two of the condos. She is a great ambassador and I'm ready to move in while I'm with her - it's so tempting! In the meantime, I need to keep getting my financial ducks in a row. It's good to have goals! 

Two Noras: January 30, 1914 and January 30, 2021

 Nora Bauer: Friday, January 30, 1914

Was to the dance tonight. Mary, Chris, and Joan (?) were there. So was ?. Gee it is fierce now though it is raining. Came home in the buggy. 

Nora Spitznogle: Saturday, January 30, 2021

I didn't take my pajamas off until time for work at the Red Key, but that didn't stop me from doing some work in the garage. Busy night.

I made the photograph of Grandma Nora's journal extra big in case anyone can decipher the names. I did a quick search of the Logansport papers to see if I could find mention of the dance. I was just as curious about the weather and the buggy. 

I clipped this from the next day's paper. I doesn't mention Logansport specifically, but it looks like the same storm that hit Indianapolis and Marion. Both cities are about an hour away from Logansport. It sounds like it was a doozy - rain, sleet, and snow. Check out the second paragraph in the article above - poor Joseph Walsh died by just picking up a telephone! 

When Grandma Nora said "the buggy" I assumed that it belonged to her family. Did they have horses? Where where they kept? 

My day was decidedly less exciting, although it snowed a lot this evening. I spent the morning and afternoon at home, continuing the cleaning project, making a pot of turkey chili, and rearranging the garage, tucking the mower and other summer things in the back and bringing the snow shovel and ice-melting salt to my porch. My garage is not connected to the house and was built in 1930 and is a little rickety. I fear that a storm like Grandma Nora experienced would have toppled my garage. 

I worked at the Red Key this evening. We were busy! The popular restaurant a few doors down was closed due to COVID-19 concerns, so a fair number of their customers came in. I'm the waitress, cook, cashier, and dishwasher. I can't remember when I've felt so over-whelmed at the Red Key. Luckily, most people were patient. We really slowed down at 8:30 when the snow started falling in earnest. I have a steep driveway and my car wasn't able to make it up the hill when I got home. Thankfully I was able to part on the street.  

Two Noras: January 29, 1914 and January 29, 2021

 Nora Bauer: Thursday, January 29, 1914

Was still warm out this morning. Had a little rain and is turning much colder tonight. Was to singing class and did some fancy work. 

Nora Spitznogle: Friday, January 29, 2021

Went straight home after work - not that there is much to do socially. Continued my organizing/donating project and managed to fill box for donation. 

I'm thinking that Grandma Nora's singing class was at church, but I don't know that for sure. I would just love to see a piece of her fancy work. 

I was happy to see this work week end. I'm not sure why it felt so long, but it did. I puttered around pulling things off of shelves and filled a tub for donation and a bag of things to give to friends. The living room is crowded with tubs, but it will look so much better when I'm done. I went to bed at a sensible hour also - another exciting Friday night! 

Two Noras: January 28, 1914 and January 28, 2021

 Nora Bauer: Wednesday, January 28, 1914

Had some of the girls over this evening. We had just a real good time. Heard some news about myself that I'd never heard before. 

Nora Spitznogle: Thursday, January 28, 2021

Started the day at the dentist. Sunny on the drive to work. I took advantage of Trash Day Eve to pull some stuff from basement.

Finally! A juicy entry from Grandma Nora! I wonder what the gossip was about? She she doesn't seem mad - I think she was a little excited by the news.  

At first I was disappointed that Nora's daily musings have been so benign. I thought that a 19 year-old would share more of her feelings and angst. 

I'm guessing that she worried about her siblings or parents reading her journal. I know that I'm circumspect in recording my day, not wanting to share work issues or family worries and such. 

I didn't hear any gossip about myself today, dang it. I did have a nice visit at the dentist office. No cavities or other dental disasters and it was nice to catch up with everyone. 

Work was good - I got a lot done. 

I'm riding the wave of getting rid of stuff. My basement is unfinished; block walls and a concrete floor. One third of it is more of a crawl space with a dirt floor. It's the part under my bedroom and bathroom which contributes to how chilly the floors are in those rooms. 

I can't quite stand up in that part of the basement and have mostly ignored it for the 25 years I've lived here. There is a huge oil tank against one side and a shelf along the opposite wall. The shelf has been lined with paint cans and other junk since I moved in. I pitched a dish strainer, scrub brushes, and other not-useful stuff. I filled two boxes with cans of dried up paint that I'll take to tox drop. Now I have room to store my my tool box and things that had been lining the stairs. 

Look at me go! 

Two Noras: January 27, 1914 and January 27, 2021

 Nora Bauer: Tuesday, January 27, 1914

Uncle Frank & Nora Doll were married this morning at six o'clock. Was very nice out today, just like spring. 

Nora Spitznogle: Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Got a call that I was needed at work early and felt a little discombobulated the rest of the day. 

Grandma Nora's Uncle Frank was one of her Dad's brothers. Nora (Eleanora) Doll was his second or third wife - I'm still trying to sort it out.  His (I think) second wife, Carrie, died in 1911. 

Nora Doll - I just love her name! - was 51 when they married and she lived until 1944. Uncle Frank was 46 when they married and had at least five children. Frank lived until 1954. I'm glad they had a nice day for the wedding. 

I was discombobulated all day - I recognize that the two whiskeys the night before didn't help. I grocery shopped on the way home from work and continued my decluttering project. It has been cold - in the 20s with spirts of rain/sleet/snow - so the yard sale totes are stacking up in the front room. The temperature is supposed to shoot up to 39 on Saturday, so I'll carry the boxes to the garage then.  

Two Noras: January 26, 1914 and January 26, 2021

 Nora Bauer: Monday, January 26, 1914

Got my polly centerpiece today. Was working on it tonight. Sent the present away today for Joe Schneider's bride. 

Nora Spitznogle: Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Was the late manager at work, so I stayed home until noon, filling yard sale boxes. Key after work.

Oh Grandma Nora, I wish I knew what all of this centerpiece business was about. The polly centerpiece seems like a new one. I did a newspaper search for the words "polly" and "centerpiece" for that era and came up blank. Is Polly a friend? Is there an upcoming party for Polly? Or is Polly an event? Hopefully the mystery will be revealed. 

And how sweet that she made a gift for Joe's bride from Kansas! Who was Joe to Nora? More mysteries. 

Every couple of years I get to bug to rearrange the house and do a little decluttering. I've decided to take apart a huge piece of furniture that I've been using as a china cabinet and see if if I can get away with just using the bottom cabinet piece. As it turns out there are lots of treasures behind those doors. It's hard to use the "have a used it in the last year?" question as a decision point, since I haven't entertained in almost a year. I'm making some progress and am filling tubs for a future yard sale. 

I worked late and popped into the Red Key to drop some stuff off on the way home and wound up having two drinks and chatting with friends.